Gabriel Van Helsing
Gabriel Van Helsing is a fictional character in the 2004 film Van Helsing, the animated prequel Van Helsing: The London Assignment, the comic Van Helsing: From Beneath the Rue Morgue, and the video game Van Helsing. He is portrayed in the film by actor Hugh Jackman, and was created by writer/director Stephen Sommers. He is based on the character Abraham Van Helsing, created by Bram Stoker, but was made younger to appeal to a more modern era. He is described by Sommer's as Abraham's 'younger brother'.http://www.movieweb.com/news/NE2zt874pJCm52 Character Background Van Helsing's name was changed from Abraham to Gabriel by his creator, screenplay-writer and director Stephen Sommers. The character has lost his memory, and has only clues to his history and true identity. Throughout the film, Van Helsing's numerous references are made to the archangel Gabriel, the "Left Hand of God", and the fact that Van Helsing has nightmares about horrific battle scenes throughout history that hint at a supernatural lifespan. Also, in the film Van Helsing mentions to his friar sidekick Carl that he remembers a battle with the Romans at Masada in the year 72 A.D. At the end of the film, Count Dracula claims that it was a younger Van Helsing who murdered him centuries before, thus beginning the cycle which resulted in Dracula becoming a vampire. Physical Appearance Van Helsing is 6'2"; has shoulder length brown hair; wears a black, leather duster, and a wide-rimmed hat that resembles a fedora. Weapons and Gear Film *'Dual Pistols': a matched pair of revolvers (the make of the revolvers is uncertain, possibly Colt Peacemakers or Webley and Scott .455.) The pistols have brass knuckles integrated into the handgrips that allow them to double as punching weapons. The weapon can be loaded with silver bullets to kill werewolves. *'Tojo Blades': for hand-to-hand fighting, Van Helsing uses a pair of identical miniature handheld buzzsaws: each weapon features a circular blade with retractable teeth, attached to a handgrip, with a pneumatic lever that, when squeezed, causes the blade to spin to improve its cutting power. The blade can also be detached from the handgrip and thrown through the air, similar to a Japanese shuriken. *'Crossbow': an invention of Karl's, Van Helsing's crossbow is stainless steel, gas-propelled automatic crossbow that fires quarrels at high velocity from a drum magazine. The weapon is capable of selective fire (single shot or fully automatic), and can be collapsed for carrying and storage. The weapon is, however, bulky and awkward to reload. *'Shotgun': Van Helsing also carries a sawed-off, pump action shotgun. *'Vampire Bomb': possibly the most powerful weapon Van Helsing employs, though it can only be used once. Karl invents it (after 12 years of tinkering) with bottled magma from Mount Vesuvius and pure alkali from the Gobi desert. When detonated, it releases a burst of light equal in intensity to sunlight, that is used in the film to eradicate an entire mansion full of vampires. *'Silver Stake': the stake is retractable, and thus reusable; *'Crucifix' *'Blow Gun': filled with tranquilizer darts; *'Holy Water Flask'; *'Rings of Garlic'; Other gadgets include a spray bottle filled with knockout gas, and a powerful gas-propelled grapnel gun. Video Game The video game incorporates most of the weapons which appear in the film, and adds a few others, including: *'Elephant gun': a long-barrelled rifle with long range and devastating power; *'Twin Scimitars': two long swords, used for melee combat, like the Tojo blades, with greater range; Van Helsing: The London Assignment In the animated short, Van Helsing used a water pistol filled with holy water, a sword, a miniature version of his crossbow, heat tracking goggles, darts, and holy water pellets. He was also given a metallic glove with retractable claws that enabled him to grip hard surfaces. References Category:Van Helsing characters Category:Horror film characters Category:Dracula Category:Fictional centenarians Category:Fictional vampire hunters Category:Fictional vigilantes Category:Fictional criminals Category:Fictional gunslingers Category:Fictional members of secret societies Category:Fictional private military members Category:Fictional killers Category:Fictional angels Category:Fictional werewolves Category:Fictional shapeshifters Category:Fictional characters introduced in 2004